The List of Bets
by parchmentwords. Queen in pink
Summary: It is in fifth year, and James thinks bets can solve anything, while Lily believes lists are the road map for life. This includes many creative ways 'Sirius' tries to get James to fall out of love with Lily, but fails tremendously when Lily agrees to a different approach to convince James to leave her alone. Instead, James just starts to like Lily even more. R&R please! PW
1. Chapter 1

**A/N- here is a little info- this story will be continued, and I will probably update once a week. If you don't like my story then let me know- I want to know what to change, and if you do like it please tell me! It means a lot either way! (= **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

James Henry Potter; referred to himself as a quiddich star, ruffled his inky colored hair to look like he had just scored the winning goal in a match. His hazel eyes were bright and intelligent, and his long and nimble fingers were perfect for transfiguration, catching quaffles, and hopefully Lily Pott- I mean Evans.

Lily Rosalia Evans hated him, and she had him at the top of her _Arrogant jerk and known to lie to me on sight and so freaking annoyingly because he asks me out six hundred thousand times a day and make my now old boyfriends hate me _list, and not so surprisingly - he was the only name on the list.

Lily had hundreds of lists, some made off the top of her head and forgot about quickly, some she had added to countless times, and some reserved for the bane of her existence, also know as Potter. Many lists had had to do with the teasing of her Christmassy appearance; having light green eyes with gold flecks, paired with dark red hair didn't do much for her reputation, besides adding significance to the temperamental redhead theory. At the end of first year though, most of that teasing had been forgotten because of her brilliance in every class besides Transfiguration, (in which she was average) and her willingness to help others.

James was the opposite, hexing people for fun, and his best class was transfiguration. Although, he had completed and challenged people to bets - the one thing he loved almost as much as quiddich, making Lily angry, and (as much as he denied it) family. He had challenged one of his best mates, Sirius Black; to more bets then they had homework assignments over the course of their previous four years. He was a believer that bets and dares could solve anything, including the enigma called Lily Evans.

James had just hopped on the Hogwarts Express while escaping his mum, who wouldn't stop kissing him on the forehead with her sticky pink lipstick, and ran straight into a prefect named- you guessed it- Lily Evans.

"Potter! Watch where you're going," Lily Evans screeched, muttering something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like _jerk-faced weasel._

"Hiya Lily! Sorry I bumped into you, I was just staring at your angle like perfection and as you know - I just can't stay away. You know you love my love for you! Don't deny it – Petunia has told me every single detail of you obsession with yours truly," James replied with a smirk.

"Quit staring at me Potter, or your foot won't be the only thing that is broken! And it is Evans to you; only my friends call me Lily. Oh, and Petunia doesn't want anything to do with _me and my freaky world,_ to quote her." Lily started her sentence harshly, but it was filled with bitterness by the end.

"My foot isn't broken! Would you prefer Lily-flower, Ladylove, Lady Lily, Lily of my heart or sweetie?" James wisely decided not to get into a spat about her sister.

Lily stomped hard on his right foot, and smirked. "I think you might want to check on the state of your foot now. And if we get to Hogwarts and you call me anything besides Evans… The Marauders will be down to three."

As James yowled in pain from his foot Lily stormed past him and into an open compartment, taking her trunk and owl with her.

James started to curse, but soon stopped when a pair of pretty and blonde fourth year girls scowled at him, and when he noticed Lily was no longer in sight. Truthfully, he was more disappointed in the absence of Lily, but denied that fact to himself. James walked off grumbling to find a compartment before the good ones were all taken, and he had to sit with Snape. Oh the horror!

On the other hand, Lily was quite content without James Potter, and would be even more ecstatic if he never spoke to her again. She started to speak to thin air, or as Lily claimed when her friend walked in, her owl named 'Lizabeth.

"I absolutely despise James Potter. He is simply wretched! I mean, why can't he just get a girlfriend and keep her? Oh yeah because he decides to spoil the relationship every single time because he constantly asks me out when he is with whatever tramp he's dating at the time! Why can't he understand that the answer will now and shall ever be, NO! I mean, if he could stop hexing others for no good reason, work in class, try to spend the time to actually getting to know me instead of just asking me out, and quit asking me out like every day, I might consider to say yes! If he weren't JAMES POTTER I would say yes! Urrrgggg!" Lily screamed.

Unfortunately for some, and fortunately for others, Sirius Black had been walking past the compartment and had heard every word that Lily had spoken.

As Sirius walked into the compartment James had found (to bandage his toe and wounded pride), he smiled a wicked grin and barked a short laugh.

"What would you say to a bet Prongs," Sirius asked James, while running his sly and adroit fingers through his conditioned muddy brown locks.

"Fine, but use Marauder rules, and add rule number five." James replied.

Ah, the Marauder Rules. Number one, it must not hurt or endanger a fellow marauder. Number two; it must be a Marauder worthy bet. Number three; it must involve one sickle and two knuts worth of money, no more and no less. Number four; if you bet it you have to pay up if you lose. Number five; it must pertain to Lily Evans. Number six; it must pertain to the Slytherins.

Numbers five and six were optional, but the others were written in stone.

Sirius' dark eyes glinted with a hint of anger at Lily. Prongs was his best mate and he didn't like that he was constantly fawning over some girl. Sirius figure the best way to go about getting him over this would be to make James realize Lily can't take a joke. As a Marauder, if you got a permanent girl, she had to be able to joke around. "Lily was being rude about you earlier. So, I dare you to make her look like a huge fool in the Great Hall, when the first years are being sorted. I don't care how, but you have got to do it. Oh, and the bet is first week's worth of homework done to the fullest extent of the loser's ability. And since I have already scheduled a night out with a different girl every night, the judges must be tough."

"Marauder judges, right? Peter and Remus and you?"

"Nah, if Lily doesn't say something spiteful and rude to you as well it doesn't count, no matter what the judges say. Deal?"

"Yeah, that works."

"So, where do you think Moony and Wormtail are?" Sirius and James' other friends' whereabouts were obviously the topic of conversation.

"I don't know."

Just then, the two boys in question marched in. Remus was quite bashfully wearing his prefect badge, and muttering something along the lines of I had a prefect meeting, sorry guys. Peter was no better, he moved clumsily and carefully in, jumping at every little sound.

"Look! Moony has gotten himself a badge!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Yeah! We can exploit it!" James agreed.

"I don't know why he would give it to me, I mean… with my condition." Remus replied.

"Don't worry! It is probably because of your moral, character, and all that other stuff I don't have." Sirius reassured him.

"Yeah, mate. He doesn't feel sorry for you, he just likes you for what Padfoot said," James seconded.

"Do you two want to be judges for the prank I plan to play on Evans?" James asked, changing topics with a grin.

"Sure!" Peter spoke with a high pitch girlish tone that seemed jubilant to help out.

"Why not?" Remus agreed, "I need something to get my mind off last night."

The other three nodded in understanding and sympathy. Remus was a werewolf, and despite all the unfair views he was a brave, brilliant and generous person.

Remus and Peter were opposites, while the former had dark brown eyes and a warm complexion paired with sandy brown hair, the latter possessed watery blue eyes, pastel yellow hair, and too pale skin with a pudgy stomach.

Peter was frightened of everything, not to mention the fact that he couldn't get more that the rare excellent in class to save his life. He took the longest to get spells right, but was always supportive of James' and Sirius' more daft schemes, while Remus was the calm voice of reason.

"I have the perfect idea," James exclaimed, and all the Marauders bent their heads together to prepare, and sending out a signal that clearly stated _be afraid, be VERY afraid. _

When Sirius was starting to plan the bet with James, Lily's BWF- best witch friend had just come in. Lily jumped out of her chair and hugged her hard enough to crack a least two ribs.

"Ouch, Lils! That hurt," Scarlett Delouse declared, as she perched on the seat opposite from Lily, blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her brown eyes stayed open and alert.

"Sorry. You know that I love to vent my anger through hugs," Lily chattered sarcastically.

"Don't you dare! Do you know how many times I would be escorted to the hospital? Why don't you take it out on the person that causes all of this, Mr. Potter!"

Scarlett bantered back.

"And then I'll hug Petunia, Potter, my last boyfriend- the wimp who didn't even last after one Potter prank, Potter, then Voldemort, Potter, the Marauders, and finally Potter.

"Whoa! Potter will die if he gets that many hugs from his dream girl." Scarlett joked.

"We can only hope! And you know, offer sacrifices to the death god…" Lily replied, faking seriousness.

"Yeah, well, how is Petunia?" Scarlett asked, switching gears fast.

"Worse every time I see her. Oh, it is awful! She called me names like freak and stupid. She said she would rather die then admit to prospective boyfriends, or anyone that she was my sister. She even said that she would love it if I would just… kill myself!" Lily sobbed. It may not seem like much, but after five years' worth of it hurt more than she had let on.

"Oh, Lily! I am so sorry. Don't worry, it'll work itself out, I promise." Scarlett comforted.

With Lily crying and the Marauders plotting, one can only hope that this group will survive…

**A/N- what do you think? Review please! Love from Parchmentwords! **


	2. Chapter 2

**This is dedicated to Obsessed-and-Undecided who has decided to follow AND favorite my story! People like you are the reason I write! And dedicated to E!, my fabulous kind of beta, and amazing friend! Sorry for the late update, lots of personal stuff going on!**

James strutted out of the carriage, grinning like a fool who had just come up with a brilliant prank. At least, that was how it looked in Sirius' mind. James' best friend thought he couldn't be more obvious, considering the sly looks in Lily's direction and not-so-subtle hints about the plan to anyone that cared to listen _and_ those who, like Lily Evans, didn't care to. In fact, she yelled at him multiple times on the grounds that he couldn't shut up for five minutes. Just to prove her wrong, or in Lily's opinion be an insufferable prat, he shut up for exactly five minutes, and then started to yammer on and on again.

Eventually, the harried Lily Evans and smirking James Potter with the rest of the annoyed fifth year class hurried of the Hogwarts Express and ran to the carriages. It was almost a mad house with the way everyone was trying to grab a carriage for them and their friends, though Lily managed to secure one and James kicked some frightened second years out of another.

This year the Marauders talked and laughed like always, except Peter seemed more subdued and had a bit of a knowing smirk on his face. His forearm looked as though it hurt more then possible because whenever something brushed against it he winced and shiftily looked away. Peter was drifting further and further from the Light.

Sirius was still loud and proud, but hadn't caused as many fake fights as usual. Perhaps it was because the full moon was occurring the next day and he wanted to make sure no one ended up with Madam Polmfery **(A/N- is that the right spelling?)**, or maybe it was because the new scars that his family had carved into him emotionally and physically over the summer were still fresh.

Remus was sickly and pale, but still the calm voice of reason in the heap of Marauders. Unfortunately, it was usually a voice that stood alone and that caved easily.

James was staring out the carriage window, and for some reason decided to mumble Lily's name over and over for every evergreen tree he saw. It was quite strange and frustrating, so considering they were next to a forest, the other three Marauders' got fed up with it quickly.

"James, knock it off!" Sirius finally screamed into the royal blue carriage.

"Sirius, I was being quiet! What did I do?" James asked calmly confused.

"Stop liking Evans. She will never, ever like you back! Evans is heartless and cruel so she will stoop so low as to try and continuously break you."

"Thanks Sirius. Just THANKS!" James stated bitterly, rising to the volume Sirius had started at. James was sick of Sirius being rude about his love for Lily, and his patience was running thin.

"No! She needs to loosen up and be free around us before she will ever date you! Never thought I'd say this, but quit annoying her. We have all talked about your infatuation with her was annoying, but we thought it was just a phase! If you don't stop now… THE MARAUDERS WILL BE DOWN TO THREE!" Sirius ranted, stepping closer and closer to the door. This was fifth year, and Sirius was furious that Lily constantly turned down James in new heartless and destructive ways, because this boy chased after her with everything he had.

"Sirius, why are you making me choose between my soul mate and my brother in everything but blood? If I must I shall choose Lily, for you are acting like an idiot." James spoke this in a deadly, weakened and strangely cold tone.

"Fine!" Sirius stormed out with a bang, and almost fell because the carriage had come to an abrupt stop at home, at Hogwarts.

The carriage moved away after the other three rushed out, but Peter suddenly whimpered and told the other two he would be back in a moment. James and Remus nodded, James halfheartedly and Remus with a shrug. Just then, Lily walked by and waved to Remus. They started to talk, well, Lily did. Apparently her carriage ride went well and she was happy enough about having a new girl in their dorm with herself Scarlett, and Melanie Roes. Her family, excluding Petunia has been great, but a little too quick to leap to conclusions about magic. Remus smiled weakly and nodded, contributing little or nothing. With those two walking ahead, and James stumbling dejectedly behind them as they made their way to the looming castle in front of them.

Once inside, James almost didn't have the heart to wreck havoc without Sirius, but he pushed that thought away and smiled ruefully.

Lily noticed James had stopped being cheerful and loud. Although it was a nice improvement, she couldn't help but think something was going to happen. Peter was missing, Sirius and James weren't sitting together… what were they up to? Little did she know she was about to find out…

James smiled as Professor Slughorn entered with all the little midgets- I mean first years. He had the perfect spell to cast on Lily, like the Imperius curse, but without such harmful intent.

Suddenly, to the surprise of the great hall and even Lily herself, she stood up and walked to the Professors' table and climbed on top. Then she waved her wand, turning herself a bright gold with buttery yellow highlights. Transforming her hair, spinning the now darker scarlet red mane into something that was twisted and twirled into braids fanning around her. Then her eyes shifted so one was pineapple yellow and the other a glistening ruby red.

She started to speak loudly and strictly, like McGonagall before an exam, "My fellow students, there are many rules to abide by in this castle. The boys in fifth year call themselves the Marauders, and they have broken every single rule. We are very proud of them and think that they are the very best! Don't get on their bad side, or you'll be like Snape and be the snotty little dirt bag of the school! If you defend anyone the Marauders prank you will be expelled, except for myself, Lily Evans, because James Potter loves me, even though I am too snobby to ever accept his offer. Now you must beat a mountain troll to be accepted and honored by the school, I wish you the worst of luck. Oh, and James darling I've always wanted to go out with you, is the offer still up? I know I have been worse than Snape, acting like a stupid little Mudblood, and that I was no better than my rotten sister, but you are too sexy to keep away for long." Lily started outright crying at the end, so upset by what was happening and Potter's pranks and how he would never grow up! She would be disliked here, just like at home. Lily was breaking, and that last comment put her over the edge she was clinging to .

As soon as James saw Lily's approaching tears he took his spell off her, and they had appeared right after he had made her speak of Snape, but another one seemed to have suddenly grabbed hold. Seemingly Sirius was still trying to teach James Lily couldn't take a joke and added the last bit in to annoy him, and didn't really care about her stupid tears. _Good grief._ Sirius seemed to think. _Why can't you just take a joke Lily? Maybe cause you are a heartless jerk! _He smirked; this was going exactly like it should, at least according to the plan.

Lily burst out, suddenly full on sobbing, and ran out of the Great Hall as fast as she could. James started to get up to sprint after her, but her friends shot him a look as they jogged after her. As he sat back down, he glared at everyone, daring them to make a joke about it.

Unfortunately, a bold Ernie McMillan decided to take the dare, smirking and tauntingly he said, "Poor James, looks like another one of your pranks backfired!"

James settled for shooting a Bat Bogey hex at Ernie, but when Ernie gave a sharp cry of pain, James glared at him. Professor McGonagall saw the entire scene, sent gave James a look and stalked over to him.

"Potter! How dare you embarrass and belittle a student in an insensitive prank! Double detention for a month, and you must write out a ten thousand-word essay on why that was wrong, uncaring, and uncalled for! I understand you are worried about Mr. Pettigrew's disappearance, but you must not take that anger out on others! Especi-."

"Wait, Peter is missing?" James interrupted, extremely annoyed and angry.  
"Yes Mr. Potter, did you not know? I sent word with Mr. Black, your accomplice in this act of great defian-."

Once again James interrupted her, "I presume you mean the elder Black, Sirius, who I am not on speaking terms with at the moment. As for if he participated in this act, I am not certain of at all. Sorry Professor, I have to go." He hurried away before she could protest, in hopes of finding Lily.

Lily was sobbing her eyes out, and hoping against hope that nobody would find her. She was pressed up against a suit of armor in an abandoned corridor, and sure that someone would unfortunately walk past her and demand to know her reasons for crying.

Lily thought about it, what were her reasons? Why was she so upset? It wasn't just because Potter pulled another idiotic prank, but because he had targeted her weakest points. She decided to make a list in her mind of why this prank was worst than the last.

1) Potter had made her talk about Sev in an awful manner.

2) He made her call herself a m-m-m- bad word.

3) He made her seem anything but authoritative and he showed her as weak in front of the school she only wanted approval from.

4) Potter made her look like she was heartless and cruel, wishing the first years the worst of luck at a horridly untrue task.

5) He forced her to speak about Petunia in a way that should never be voiced. _Even though you truly feel that way about her? _A small voice in Lily's head asked the question and begged for an answer Lily refused to give. Instead, she wiped her eyes, stood up, and headed back to the dorms tired and hungry, reviewing the list over and over in her mind.

After the hectic feast in which the Sorting hat had sung another annoying song about the students' tragic path ahead of them, and James' futile search for Lily, the three remaining Marauders' had returned to their dorm.

"Moony I have to talk to you, and Sirius, even though we aren't on speaking terms you have to hear this. Minnie said that Peter has gone missing."

Sirius shook his head, "I don't believe it! Peter was on the train, so he couldn't have gotten away… wait! When he went to get something… God no!" Sirius started a stream of curses as Remus started to speak.

"I for one think he is need of rescuing, and it is up to the Marauders to rescue him!" He said this as though handling a sword and knighting someone. As Sirius started cracking up from laughter, James was nodding his head slowly in agreement, and when Remus saw this he stared at James in speechlessness.

"Very funny James, but we aren't strong enough," Remus negatively observed.

"He is our friend, so we have to try Remus," James argued.

"He is right, but maybe we should do research and then go out and try to get Peter back." Sirius reasoned.

Remus and James nodded in agreement, Sirius smiled looking pleased, and Peter Pettigrew smiled wickedly, for he wasn't nearly as far away as the other Marauders' had been led to believe.

**A/N- I LOVED writing that chapter- what did you think? R and R please! I will dedicate the next chapter to who gets the closest and the furthest from where Peter could be. Oh, and if Sirius seemed a little OOC (out of character) he had good reason… for which you will find out later! **

**-Love from Parchmentwords! **


	3. Chapter 3!

**Here is the next chapter- enjoy! I got **no** guesses for Peter, but some amazingly kind reviews! Please review; it makes me want to write more! **

**This chapter is dedicated to JadeZinniaMarchetta who faved/followed this story and my great reviewers. Thanks to all of you! **

James' face was screwed up in concentration, and his eyes were shut tight. Sirius looked almost the same, but instead of a deer shaped face he had multiple tuffs of dog hair on his body. This was normal, considering the past attempts at changing into their animegus forms. Peter, of course, was missing, and Remus was scanning through books to try to find more information.

"Moony, I can't do it! It burns!" James yowled.

"Just a little longer," Remus reassured him.

"Can't hold on…" James whimpered as the shape of his face went back to normal.

Remus sighed; they hadn't known that so little progress could be made until the final complete transformation, nor that it would hurt so much. The group had only gone in with the limited knowledge of what they were going to be, with assistance from a beautifully made potion from James.

"Try again James!" Remus encouraged him, and so James did and like Sirius he became more calm and collected. Wait. Why was SIRIUS calm and collected? Hmmm, Remus wondered as he prodded Sirius with the end of his quill. Ah, just as he suspected. Sirius had fallen asleep! Again.

Meanwhile, Lily was doing her darned transfiguration homework. It wasn't that she couldn't do the spell, no, it was that she couldn't do it as well as James bloody Potter!  
She groaned, her teapot refused to turn into a candle, well, a pretty candle. James' candle had smelled like lilies (what else?) and had a burgundy red container with a pattern of roses all over, while the candle itself was dyed a beautiful evergreen. Lily's on the other hand refused to change from a bright creamy yellow with a dark downy gray container. It was pretty, but it didn't have an extremely important PATTERN like James' did!

Lily begun to grumble to herself and make a list of the few ways in which James Potter was better than her. **(Lily's thoughts are in italics)**

1) Transfiguration- _a useless subject... well not real- YES, TOTALLY USELESS! _

_2) _Attracting the female population of Hogwarts- _I don't want to do that. EVER._

3) He is most likely better at pranking. _That won't help in life. Right?_

4) Quiddich. _Given, since I don't fancy flying around on a broom with blungers trying to KILL ME! _

Lily noticed she could go on and on with this list of what he was better at. He seemed to be maturing, but it was strange that she never noticed it before, but he was a bit ni-

"Want to go out, Evans?" James called from across the room.

_Thought too soon. _Lily noted to herself.

"Ok, what if I say no this time, but I will definitely say yes next time, if you never ask again? Or hex me like in the Great Hall you bloody toe rag! Or maybe BE CIVIL TO ME FOR ONE BLOODY DAY!" Lily quipped back slowly proceeding to yell.

"Not a direct 'no'," James asked, "Well then, ye- hey wait! No way am I agreeing to that! And I am civil, but just with a bit of romantic flair. I only do it cause I love you!" He continued.

"My pain doesn't effect you at all does it?" Lily sighed.

"No it does, but I could make it all better if you decide to go out with me!" James said with a flirtatious wink.

"No! Maybe it is cause you won't quit asking me out!" Lily replied in annoyance.

"You will never get rid of me, Lily Flower!" James chuckled like a mad man in a horror movie. He even did an evil grin while rubbing his hands together before scooping her up in his arms.

"Are you sure on the no go for the date, Lils?" James asked with a wink.

"YES! Now put me down before I hex you into the next century!" Lily screamed at the top of her lungs, so nearly splitting James' eardrum.

"Certainly, Lady Love!" James replied cheekily, before dropping her on her carpet.

"HEY!" shrieked Lily while the student in the common room burst out onto laughter, but shut up quickly when she turned on them. "Is this how you get your fun, you little-".

"Lils, they didn't mean anything!" James defended the others.

"But you did! Why do you always have to ask me out? What did I ever do to you? It is like you can't go a bloody month without saying 'Evans wanna go to the Hogshead together and get drunk and do something fun later?' or 'wanna find a dark corner and snog?' or even the lame 'want to go on a date, Lily?"! Then there are the ANNOYING STUPID pet names! YOU ARE SO SICK AND TWISTED! I would do anything to get a little peace and quiet! I am so considering a Restraining Order!"

"Anything?" James chorused with Scarlett and Sirius who had just entered through the portrait hole to hear Lily's finale of her rant.

"Anything you bloody prat! Why, do you want money?" Lily asked with an almost broken glare.

"How about a little bet Lilykins?" James asked.

"Alright, but first make up with Black. He has been moping like a little girl!" Scarlett challenged.

"Fine. Black?" James asked, motioning his head to the dormitory.

Sirius nodded grudgingly and thudded up the steps with James in toe, leaving the two girls wondering what could get the two best friends so mad at one another.

"Alright. Let's not be girls and cry and hug. Instead, just lay off bothering me about Lily, yeah?" James stated, once in the dormitory.

"Ok, but mate, I don't want you to get hurt even more by that-," Sirius replied.

"Padfoot!" James interrupted.

"Fine, then! LILY! I don't want you to be hurt by Lily!" Sirius said in annoyance.

"Thanks mate. I love her though, and I want her to be mine, even if that means I get hurt. Did you make Lils say that stuff in the Great Hall? Cause it really seemed to hurt her and therefore me, so I tried telling her I didn't do it, but she still hates me." James complained.

"No, wasn't me!" Sirius lied.

"Ok, let's go back to the girls." James said skeptically.

The boys headed back down the step to make the bet, with matching mischievous grins that made the girls wonder if they should have had them make up after the bet was made.

**Ooh! I know I am so mean to not tell y'all the bet! But wait for more! I promise its coming! **

**-Parchmentwords!**


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